Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1887-07-28
A Quarter Of . Century in Oil.
From the Oh City ,rs.,) Derrick

"A SoA WI Va OOAU0Ay IA V1ls
(From the Oh City .ra.) Derrick
The changes that have taken place
in this section Of the country in the
past twenty-five years are almost be-
yond the conception Of the human mind.
The hills and valleys that were then
covered with virgin forests are now the
scene Of great activity and the center
Of one of the greatest commercial in.
dustries of modern times. The nine oil
counties have been . source Of wealth
to the country surpassed by no other
section in the world. The bonanza
mines Of the west or the great coal de-
posts of Pennsylvania have not in the
same period contributed more to the ma
terial wealth of the country. The re-
hottest corners of the world are now
illuminated by our product. Gen.
Grant said that in his travels around
the world he encountered Arabs carry
ing our petroleum across the sterile
plains in cans on the backs of camels.
It has become the light Of the world,
with the rather strange exception of
our own section, where it cannot COM
pete with our natural gas. But natural
gas is the outgrowth of the petroleum
Development, and these hand-maidens
Of commerce are rapidly revolutonizing
the manufacturing industries Of the
whole country. The manufacture Of
iron, steel, pottery and glass has been
cheapened by the use Of natural gas,
and the day seems almost at hand when
coal with its SCOT and cinders will have
to give way on our lines Of railroads for
the cheaper, cleaner and more conve-
nient liquid fuel. Already great ocean
steamers plow the pillows with tanks Of
oil to feed their furnaces instead of
tons upon tons Of coal. As basis Of
work for those who reyel in amazing
figures, we may state that statistics
show that $1,000 wells have been
drilled in Pennsylvania and New York
since the discovery Of petroleum, at q
cost of 5000, 00O,0 These wells
have produced 80, 600, 900 barrels of
oil, which were sold at the wells for
$500, 100000 This represented =
profit for the producer of $500, 900, 900.
The amount of oil exported is placed at
6,231, 102, 923 gallons. In the pool in
Washington county alone $4,000, 600
has been expended in machinery and
drilling. This does not include the
many millions that are represented
there in the natural gas industry. In
dependent of the oil business there is
about $50, 100000 invested in natural
plants in Pennsylvania. These are ma
jestic figures and serve to show the
magnitude of the oil and gas business.
In his address at the Findlsy celebra-
ton MI. /. H. Dean, whose experience
as an oil operator enables him to do
some close figuring, supplied some
mathematical calculations which helps
the mind to grasp the magnitude Of the
oil business. Mr.. Dean figured on the
capital that would be invested in drill
ing of rs, 900 wells. As showing the
vast importance Of petroleum to the
the world of commerce, he referred to
the outlay of capital that would be
required for pipe, lumber and machin-
cry in drilling these wells. The amount
of Pinch tubeing and pipe required, fig
uring the wells at an average depth Of
1900 feet, and that it would take as
much pipe for steam, gas and surface
oil pipe as it would to put in the wells,
would be 1876, 100000 feet, or over "a, :
600 miles, enough to span the entire
earth one and a third times, and would
cost, at 14c per foot, $29, 100000. It
would require. allowing 400 feet to the
well, 81, 100000 Of s. casing, which, at
Soc per foot would amount to $15, $50, :
600. Allowing an average of 100 feet
Of drive pipe to the we'll, it would re-
quire 100000 feet and cost, at $40
per foot, $500, 900. It would take
$1,000, 900 worth of lumber to build
the rigs, and the machinery and the
boilers necessary would cost $40, 00O,-
600 more, making grand aggregate Of
$50, $4,000. When you contemplate
carefully these figures, then, and not
till then, will you commence to realize
the vast amount of labor and capital